nico74

Hello Everyone I am having trouble getting my Pod HD500x Distortion setting to sound to come out of my Line 6 L2m to sound as good as my half stack, Which is a peavey ultra plus head and mesa traditional cab. The Pod sounds so thin and weak and has now cab like punch to it. I have literally tried everything and now i don't know what options i have left to try and see the results that i want. If anyone can help me out with this i would truly appreciate it. Thanks

Dear dead_zee ,

there is no way to obtain something Cool playing the pod into the amp.

However the pod sounds very good directly to the mixer.

I opened This topic some month ago'. Then after trying all solutions,i sent the pod hd500 back to the vendor and i received my money back.

For me this topic is closed.

Honestly if people can't get these things to sound decent they either A) just don't like the sound/feel of digital, B) are not spending any time dialing it in or are just grabbing patches off CT and not editing them, or C) there is something wrong hardware-wise.

A ) i use the pod 2.0 from the 2001 and i like it, i know very well digital sound.

B ) i am kwonwn because i usually squeeze my equipment as a lemon

i readed all the manual before buying the pod hd500x... great functions, great reverbs, great delays, great modulations, great synth sound... i believe it is not the same for distortions!

Sending your POD's output into your amp's FX loop return rather than the

amp's input, will result in a completely different tonal character as-well .

Of Course... I did it,  But i didn't like anyway, tryed direct, combo front, combo pwr amp, stack front, stack power amp.....nothing!

i tried on mixer and it sounds good, i played into the dt50, it sounds good.

but on other amps it sounds very small, too high frequencies, too distorted sounds.

so i sent my pod hd500x back to the vendor!

nobody is perfect, but please don't say thet the pod hd500x plays good anywhere !

i started play guitar 27 years agò, when i was 13, i had many racks effect, pedals, amps, pedalboards... i'm not a new entry.

so i'm not perfect too, but  i believe i have a discreet sense of hearing.

I'm starting to find this, it't not noticeable when I play a power chord but if I hit the low E string (tuned to D) and I let it ring and then arpeggiate by playing A and D strings the distortion from the ringing E string emits a high pitch fizz that I can't seem to get rid of.  Even when I only have a New Tone with only one amp or one pedal, the moment I get any gain there is also accompanying fizz.

 

Not sure if it's my amp speaker but cleans are very nice.

 

s

I'm starting to find this, it't not noticeable when I play a power chord but if I hit the low E string (tuned to D) and I let it ring and then arpeggiate by playing A and D strings the distortion from the ringing E string emits a high pitch fizz that I can't seem to get rid of.  Even when I only have a New Tone with only one amp or one pedal, the moment I get any gain there is also accompanying fizz.

 

Not sure if it's my amp speaker but cleans are very nice.

 

s

Ok friends... I send the pod hd500x back to the vendor! So (for me) the topic is closed unsolved. Goodbye to line6.

I dont think this will be a total solution but you might find some relief...

I've been experimenting with the Tube Echo Platter in front of amp models. But not for echo, for the drive. Lots of my favorite old school players used different tube echo machines into the front of big loud Marshalls and Vox, etc. even when they weren't trying to get the echo effect because it gave a little bit of tube drive to the sound hitting the preamp.

 

Put just the Echo Platter delay in front of your amp, Time set all the way down (20%) Mix at 50% Drive...start at 50% and see if that is too much. It has a lot of high end to it so that may become an issue but see what you think.

 

Another one is, in the Pre-EQ category of effects is the Vintage Pre, I usually put it at the end of the signal chain for warming up a sound with settings in the 30-60 % range on both parameters but you can also use it in front of an amp to drive it some if you don't set it too high.

 

Then one more. In the Dyn section of effects, the Boost Comp, it has a drive parameter...try that.

 

Personally I think the Line6 distortions and overdrives are not very good. They are troublesome to dial in and that has always been my experience from the M9 M13 and all Pod's. And that goes for in front of real amps or the models. I'd say the HD's Tubescreamer is their best effort, good in fact...but I'm so bored with that sound I hate it too even though it is acurate and behaves better than the rest.

Warning: Includes opinions!

 

I believe it is very difficult to make models of distortion pedals. And i believe one can model just a slide from an amp-pedal pair. Not the whole sound - and ecspecially not the dynamic - range they can produce. That's why using models like real pedals does not neccessarily lead to good result (but amp models should be used ecxactly like real amps with realistic volume levels if possible). What we need to do is learn the ways of modeling and use them more like things they really are: models, inspired by some real life item. Like in cooking (if we can cook) we always taste our new spices before adding them. Test, what our models do by adding them one by one on your cleans and you'll get the idea. Also Line6 has (usually) given wide range of tone for each variable. Instead of being like in range of 0 - 10, they seem to be like -5 - 15. Those should be tweaked click by click instead of trying just full or none options.

 

Patience...

 

With DT i get my main distortion from amp model and only flavour it with pedal models. Sometimes the amp model is enough by itself.

 

And with amp (Fender blackfaceish boutique thingy. I use just 2 now to keep things simple enough) i use guitar input and i usually use a pair of distortions. In most settings there are screamer/tube drive or tube drive/cassic distortion. The trick is not to crank one of them too heavily. Screamer is usually just clean boost with gain 0 - 10%. I even use AC-30 model in one setting and it moves that blacface very close to Vox. Normally i don't use amp models at all with the amp.

 

I started tweaking - as i always do - from empty new tone patch. Adding one part at the time (of course first i've set up HD-amp pair as we always have to do when changing to a new amp), many times just trying different things. HD's master volume always 100%. Amps volume as is will be when in action. Amp tweaked to make the cleans by itself. In neutral way thou.

 

Hmm...

 

I don't know, if there is possibility to change effect presets so that every time i add an effect, it comes in more ready for my sounds. Effects (and amp models) come in way too cranked, if asked me. Turning everything down is usually the first thing to do. That could ease up some starting problems people have.

 

I don't think HD and amp - if not in need of service - can't work together. One just has to match them together first. That may be difficult in some cases due gazillions of options.

ok ... I was just waiting for this!

-I think the same of Aggravation: the distortions of line 6 are not very good!

-and i think as WaubinHood: HD and AMP can't Work togheter.

my amp sounds perfectly with stompboxes into it, but not with the distortions of pod

this is true also with my pod 1.0 (upgraded to 2.0) in fact i always used it on a rocktron velocity 120 and 2 rocktron speakers

very trasparent power amp, ....but i imagine that  with new technology the things could be changed!

so i i believe the topic is solved!

thank to all of you for the patience (and sorry for my little english)

But if someone other of you has some good ideas.... i'm here! :)

If you're using the HD500X for effects only into the front of an amp, Studio Direct is the output mode you want.

 

As far as the RAT model sounding bad, that's not entirely surprising to me, especially with the drive at 50%. Try lowering the drive and turning up the output.

tried all distortion models! tooooooo compressed

tried all output mode... with clean sounds the studio direct seems to be the right choice, but if i switch on a virtual distortion stomp, i obtain a only  fuzzy sounds or ultra gained

It sounds like you are over driving the input to your amp.     I suggest you try on the standard settings for your amp to start with.      Adjust the output gain of the chosen distortion model and also the MASTER VOLUME of the HD500X, and leave the mixer settings with 0db.  

 

If things are still sounding bad then try setting your INPUT 1 to GUITAR and INPUT 2 to VARIAX (default is SAME).  This will lower your input guitar signal by 6db which may be a better match for the input to the distortion fx block.  

You can also try adjusting the input impedance setting for guitar in the SETTINGS menu - it is usually at AUTO which is best because it should match the impedance of first fx block model, but you can manually select a different value to affect input guitar impedance.

 

Hope that helps.

i'm sure not overdriving the amp, i use an A/B split, and the volume, the clarity, the sound of the guitar is the same using guitar>amp or guitar>pod>amp (adding +6db into the pod mixer)

i tried all, all setup possible, and remember that into mixer or computer it sounds good!

I assume you have your guitar connected to GUITAR in on the HD500X and you are taking your output from either the L/MONO or R/MONO jacks on the back - is that correct?

Have you also got the 1/4" inch OUT switch on the front face of the HD500X next to expression pedal set to AMP?   Yes? If that is all true then the basic connections are correct.

 

Have you also got the TONE controls on your amp set to a FLAT value?  ie: bass/middle/treble all at half way - or middle on max and bass and treble at zero.  

 

As stated above by the other forum members the HD500X is not a simple plug and play box like a stomp box.  You have to spend some time setting it up for your particular environment, with your gear for your use.

 

As you are using it in front of an amp, then treat it like a pedal board to get some basic sounds set up.   Don't use the amp sims or cabs.  Just use fx blocks to produce a sound you like.  I suggest you start with some simple fx and adjust the parameters until you can get it sounding like you what.   If you are looking for overdrive then pick just one of the OD models and adjust that.   Try this with output mode set to COMBO FRONT first if you have a combo amp or STACK FRONT if you are using a head/cab.  They are the correct starting points as they allow you to tweak the sound to compensate for the colouring of your amps own TONE controls.  If you cannot get these to sound correct, then try the COMBO or STACK power settings - these are almost the same but with the ability to tweak the eq, and if you are still not happy then try the STUDIO/DIRECT mode which will be what you were hearing through your headphones.

When you have identified the output mode that is closest to what you want then stick with it and fine tune your chosen fx to get it to sound just right to you.   Once you are happy, then move on and try some other fx and tweak them to what you need.  Do one at a time and once you have a few that you are happy with, then you can build some patches that use those fx.

 

Once you have the fx nailed - then you may want to experiment with the AMP models but these will be much harder to make sound right because they are designed to go either direct to a mixer or direct to a power amp - so they will not sound great going into an amp's preamp via the instrument input - BUT you may be able to adjust the controls to get sounds that you like.

 

Read MEAMBOBBO's guide that jandrio pointed you at, and also look up HD500 ROUTING SCHEMATICS in this forum for all you need to know about routing paths.   Good luck on your search for your tone!   

hi edstar1960,

of course, i've tryed all the possibility you have wrote.

of course the switch is at aMP position... but i tryed all, line position, studio direct, combo front, stack front, combo and stack power amp.

but nothing.... just an ultra metal sound... even using the rat (classic distortion) with drive at 50%

all distortion simulation sounds ULTRA/BLACK/DEATH METAL!!!

and all this, using no amp sim!!!

If you are sending a PodHD amp sim into the front of a guitar amp you are not going to get a good sound.

 

Plugging into the front of a guitar amp, the instrument input jack, means you are sending the Pod's simulated pre amp, power amp and speaker cab simulation through your guitar amps real preamp, power amp and speaker cab...

 

You can send effects with the Pod's amp and cab simulation turned off.

 

Or find an amp the has an effects loop so you can use what is known as the 4 cable method and really have fun.

Or get a powered PA floor monitor.

 

But a guitar amp that only has an instrument input is not a good match for the Pod if you want to use its amp and cab simulations....

hi, aggravation,

as i wrote before, i used no amp simulation, so...no cab no preamp...

i started with the 8 fx block empty and i added 1 distortion pedal at time!

sincerely the overdrive are a bit good, but distortion are just artificial.

i'm an old user of pod family, i used pod 2.0 for 15 years, flextone II and III.

the pod 2.0 somethime sounds very artificial in front on the amp, bt it is create more than 15 years agò!

but i will try  on a PA floor monitor before re-send  it to the vendor

hi all, i used in the past a pod 2.0, m13, flextone II and flextone III.

now i boght a new pod hd500x,

i connected my headphones and it sounds good!

i connected on my DAW and it sounds good!

so yesterday i went in my rehearsal room and i connected the pod hd500x into the amp, i create a true bypass sound using an A/B stomp, so the sound of the guitar into the pod getted into the amp was 95% real...as the guitar directly into the amp. (using no simulation no effects, just +5 db on pod mixer.)

"ok... i'm starting to goooo " i thinked 

but when choose the first distortion simulation, i found the worst sound i ever heard.

there is no way to play in front of the amp  (or power amp) and obtain a good sound.

the distortion simlation are very ... very... compressed, too much gained, too much artificial, than using the pod into a mixer/PA system!

i tried all the 5 possibility in the system menù, direct, combo fron, combo pwr amp, stack front and stack pwr amp...

particularly the combo front and stack front give me a very very poor sound, even adjust the low-hig-mid focus parameters, the clean sounds good, the distortions toooo gained and false.

i'm very confused, i'd like to re-send the pod to the shop and give my money back. but i like all the fx features, and the pedalboard functions.

Someone of you have this problem?

Someone of you have found a way to play it better?

please let me know

Nico